Electrical wall lamp with switch operated by lamp movement



Dec. 26, 1950 H. M. JENSEN ET AL 2,535,421

ELECTRICAL WALL LAMP WITH SWITCH OPERATED BY LAMP MOVEMENT Filed June 4, 1948 F/G. Z

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 ELECTRICAL WALL LAMP WITH SWITCH OPERATED BY LAMP MOVEMENT Howard M. Jensen, Huntington, and Wilbur B. Young, Bayport, N. Y.

Application June 4, 1948, Serial No. 31,136

This invention relates to a lamp construction of the class currently known as electrical wall lamp with switch operated by lamp movement.

These lamps are usually secured to a wall surface in positions where they are decorative and where they are not under the control of a wall switch, so while they are decorative they are also utilitarian and consequently the utilitarian aspect must take into consideration the decorative aspect.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a lamp that is so constructed that its decorative elements will have a utilitarian function. a

A further object of the invention resides in so constructing the lamp that it easily may be switched on and off without the necessity for the user to engage or operate any small object such as a switch button.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a bail for the support of a lamp bulb and shade which serves, also, the function as an actuator for the switch button in the electrical circuit and in so relating the bail to the switch button and its operating mechanism and to the electrical wire connection to the lamp bulb socket that there will be a cooperative action which will cause the proper operation of the switch for both on and off, and which will properly position the ball, the lamp bulb and the shade therefor.

With these and other objects in view, which will be set forth as this description progresses, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the claims and disclosed in the drawing and specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a face view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a detail disclosing the operating spring in the conventional type of switch used as an element of this invention.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated includes a base member H] which is adapted to be secured to a support, such as the wall of a room, by a hanger H, the base member ID being provided with a switch chamber l2 adjacent its lower end and in which a switch I3 is located. This switch is, preferably, of the commercial type. It has the usual switch blades within the insulator body portion l3 which are opened and 2 Claims. (Cl. 240--73) closed by means of an operating plunger M which is pressed by a spring 14' to its protruding position ready for operation of the blades to open" or closed positions. This is a well known tyne of mechanism and further description or illustration is thought not to be necessary. However, it may be stated that the wires i5 from the source (not shown) are divided at l6 for, and. are connected to, the switch in the usual manner and they extend, at IT, through an opening i 8 in the base in, preferably in a single sheath, to the lamp socket as shown in Figure 2. This portion ll of the wire sheath is produced by a downwardly curved portion i8 which is free to move forwardly and rearwardly (viewed as in Figure 3) of the chamber l2 to permit the movement of the lamp bulb supporting bail, but being relatively secured in relation to the base somewhat above the point l8. This looped portion of the sheathed wire is resilient, inherently, being preferably formed of rubber, to position the bail.

The bail I9 is pivoted, at 20, on a pair of spaced arms 2! that are secured at 22 to the sides of the base It and extend forwardly therefrom.

The arms 2|, or the bail [9, are laterally, i. e., horizontally as viewed in Figure 1, movable and possess resiliency so that they may be flexed laterally to permit the insertion of the pivot pins 20 and so that, after insertion, the pivot pins will be held in position and so that there will be some frictional resistance to movement between the bail and the arms to assist in preventing the fluttering of the bail and the lamp bulb and shade that it supports.

The usual commercial type of lamp socket 23 is housed in a casing 24 which is rigidly supported by the base of the bail i9 and to the binding posts of this socket the wires in the sheath l1 are connected.

An operating post 25 is carried by the bail l9 and normally contacts the end of the plunger M with a sliding engagement.

The looped, sheathed wires l'i, being resilient, have a tendency to maintain the post 25 in contact with the plunger l4 when pressure on the ball is released by pulling the bail toward the base l0.

Thus the sheathed wires not only perform their usual functions as electrical conductors, but perform the additional function of positioning the bail in cooperation with the spring-actuated plunger l4, while the bail not only performs the function of a support for the lamp socket and its associated elements, but it performs the additional function of a switch operator or actuator.

The use of a wide bail, mounted and associated as described, makes the turning on and off of the lamp an easy matter because its movement towards the base ID will occur upon the application of force upon various portions thereof and at various angles.

What is claimed is:

1. A lamp construction including a base adapted to be secured to a wall, supporting arm means rigid with said base and extending outwardly from said base adjacent the upper portion thereof, a bail member pivotally supported on said arm means in spaced relation to said base and freely depending therefrom, an electrical lamp socket supported by said bail adjacent the lower end thereof and within said bail, an electrical switch mechanism carried by said base adjacent the lower end thereof and having a switch operating plunger extending from said base adjacent the lower end thereof and having its end in proximity to the lower end portion of said bail, a spring device for urging said plunger toward said bail, and a wire connecting said lamp socket to said switch mechanism and resiliently urging the lower end portion of said bail toward said switch operating plunger.

2. A lamp construction including a base adapted to be secured to a wall, supporting arm means rigid with said base and extending outwardly from said base adjacent the upper portion thereof, a bail member pivotally supported on said arm means in spaced relation to said base and freely depending therefrom, an electrical lamp socket supported by said bail adjacent the lower end thereof and within said bail, an electrical switch mechanism carried by said base adjacent the lower end thereof and having a switch operating plunger extending from said base adjacent the lower end thereof and having its end in proximity to the lower end portion of said bail, a spring device for urging said plunger toward said bail, an operating post carried by said bail adjacent its lower end and extending toward said plunger and having its end arranged in proximity to the end of said plunger, and a wire connecting said lamp socket to said switch mechanism and resiliently urging the lower end portion of said bail toward said switch operating plunger.

HOWARD IM. JENSEN. WILBUR B. YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Sept '2, 1921 

